Attachment for wheels



' E. G. KILLERBRUE.

ATTACHMENT FOR WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED MN. 51 1921.

1,438, 1 1 7. Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

- SHEET 1.

2 SHEETS- E. G. KILLERBRUE. ATTACHMENT F0}? WHEELS. APPLICATION min JAN.5, 1921.

1 ,438 ,1 1 7. Patented Dec. 5, 1922'.

s f w 25 c z I I l I I 2/ l 22 C) G 45 O I Q I Q O E I A O O T M I I I vI I, I I A; II, I,

INVENTOR m-ron av Patented Dec. 5, 1922,

ENGLEY G. KILLEBBRUE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT non wnnnns.

Application filed January 5, 1921. Serial no. 435,163. v

To all whom it may concern: .a

Be it known that I, ENGLEY Gr. EZILLER- BRUE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments forWheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle wheels and has for anobject the provision of means whereby an ordinary rigid wheel may beconverted into a spring wheel.

To this end the invention contemplates the provision of a rim structurewhich may be attached to the ordinary or othervehicle wheel in a mannerto take up shocks and jars incident to travel over rough or uneven roadsand to thus eliminate the necessity for the use of pneumatic tires,together with their expense and manyinconveniences.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rim structureembodying means for connection to a vehicle rim or felly in such manneras to permit of circumferential movement relative to the wheel andpermit the wheel to support the weight of that portion of the rim belowthe axle free, the manner of attachment of the rim to the wheelpermitting free relative movement thereon, so that the lower half of therim provides a cushion for the wheel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a resilient rimstructure which embodies a plurality of annular flat springs, certain ofwhich overlap the edges of other springs to provide a substantiallyT-shaped annular groove for the reception of bolts which serve to attachthe rim structure to a wheel, the attaching means being such thatcertain of them will, when the wheel is subjected to weight, clutch, therim to establish active driving connection between the wheel and rim,yet permit of the cushioning effect above mentioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for detachablyconnecting the resilient rim structure and a tire, the.

said means permitting of the ready removal of the tire when necessary ordesired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means forabsorbing radial strain between the wheel and the rim structure.

Other objects and advantages or" the invention will appear as thefollowing de scription is read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

invention applied thereto.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows a tion of a portion of a vehicle wheelwith the Figure 2 is an enlarged the line 2-2 of Figure 1. v

fragmentary side eleva-i,

sectional view on Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-r-3 of Figure 2..7

Figure 4:.is a side elevation of a vehicle wheel with the inventionshown in section, the parts being shown in the position they assume whenthe wheel is subjected to weight. t I I Figure 5 is a diagramillustrating the ;manner in which the wheel supports weight.

Referring in detail to the drawings,

wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, theinvention as illustrated includes a rim which is indicated at 10 andwhich is adapted to be secured to a vehicle wheel of rigid structure,such as is illustrated at 11. This wheel may be of the.

usualor any preferred type,,the. invention being applicableto vehiclewheels of various makes. a

The improved rim is formed of a plurals ity oi annular members of aresilient charactor and includes an annular member 12 and spaced annularmembers 13, the latter projecting outwardly over the edges of, themember 12. Additional annular members 1 1 have their inner opposed edgesextending over the adjacent edges of the members 13, so that thesemembers 13 and 14 together with'the member 12 provide an annularsubstantially T-shaped groove 15. r a

The member shown andiits between annular beads 16 formed around theinner periphery of a tire 17, the latter'being shown as of the solidrubber type, but it is of course understood that a tire of differentstructure may be used if desired. I r

In order to secure the rim to the wheel 11,

there is provided a plurality of bolts 18.

These bolts have their heads 19disp0sed within the T-shaped groove 15and are capable of circumferential movement therein, the width of theheads 19 being slightly less; than the depth of the groove so that alimited radial movement is permitted; The shanks of the bolts 18 extendthroughopenings 20 provided in the telly of the wheel 11 and the innerends of these bolts are provided with washers 2'1 and nuts 22.Interpos'ed between the washers 21 and the inner 12-is relatively wide iperiphery of the telly of the wheel is a cushioning member 23, of rubberor other suitable material, the purpose being to absorb radial shocksbetween the rim and Wheel. due to the radial movement of the bolts 18within the openings 20.

The tire 17 is provided with annular substantially semi-circular grooves24, upon opposite sides thereof. These grooves are adapted to receivespring'rings 25, while clamps26 which 'arelocated at spaced intervalsabout the circumference of the rim have one of their ends provided withhooks-27 which "engage over the rings 25, while their opposite ends areformed with hooks 28- which"engage overthe edges ol the inner peripheryof the rim structure.- The clamps" 26 are formed with openings, whichalign with openings 29 provided in the tire 17, bolts 80pass'ing throughtheseopenings for the" purpose of'holding' the clamps in posi tion, Thespring rings 25 may thus be securely heldin'place and the tire securedto the The h e ads of the bolts and the nuts 31 which are mountedthereon arepreterablyseated within depressions or' sockets 32 providedin the clamps 26'so as to protect them from damage" in the event of thevehicle Wheel being scraped against a curl)- ing or similar obstruction;

It willibe apparent from the foregoing description and'the accompanyingdrawings that'when the'inventioii' is in use, that-the weight which thewheel supports will be suspended from points approximately be tweenfthe' dotted lines (t -(6 'shownin Figure 5. As the'heads of the bolts18 are mitted free circumferential movement in the groove l5;'theremainder of the rim will be permitted to move relatively to. the wheel,the amount ofthls movement being increased toward the lower or treadportion of the wheelas illustrated in Figure 4: of the drawings.Thiswill act to spread the rim and consequently the tirefwhich itcarries, so that its horizontal diameter will be greater thanitsvertical diameter. This willact to cause released This'willmaterially increase?th e life of therimstructure and tire,while wearupon the bolts or the springs whlch compose the rim" structure may betaken up bytight ening-thebolt's. If desired," cotter pihs'Si-B maybeinse'rtedthrough the ends ofthe bolts as illustrated" in the drawingThe invention is" susceptible of various changes 1n lts r0rm,; 1-oportns and'min'or" detailsof constructionaiid the right is here in reservedto make-"such changes "prop erly fall within thescope ofthe appendedclaims.

l-laving described the inventionwvhat is cl aimed is l. Thecoinhination' with" a vehi'cle "Wheel;

of a plurality ofannula'ispringniembers arranged to provide 'aresilientrimhaving an annular" groove tl'iereiirandf aclapted to' of aWheel and meansmdveblecircumrren ti'allyol "the rim antl rad ial'lyof'thewheeh whereby the rim may be"securecl in position in :1 manner toperm t of relative movement.

2. The combination with a vehicle wheel,

of a plurality of annular springmembers 'ar-' ranged to provide Yaresilientrim having an annular T-shapetl rows thereinand adapt ed to bespaced from and seC'u'r'echto the periphery "'ol awheel' and meansmovable circumferentiallyol the rim and including T shaped bolts 'locatdWithiii said groove,

whereby the rim may'be"'secured' in position in a 'maiiner to pe r'mitof relative movement.

In testimony -whereof l affiir lily-signature.

ENGLEY G. KILLERBRUE;

